Spurs notebook: Powell exhibits calm confidence

Josh Powell’s six-season NBA career has included stops in Los Angeles, Dallas, Golden State and Atlanta.

The 6-foot-9 forward’s month in Spurs camp has sold him on the virtues of a small market.

“It’s very calm and relaxing here,” Powell said. “It’s like the spa.”

Even in the maelstrom that is the battle for the Spurs’ 15th and final roster spot, Powell has managed to keep his head.

Earlier this week, the 29-year-old suddenly and surprisingly became the front-runner for the job when the team waived Eddy Curry and Derrick Brown, Powell’s two stiffest competitors.

In five preseason appearances, Powell has averaged seven points and 5.2 rebounds, shooting 63.6 percent from the field. He also has proved to be an active defender.

Though the team is under no obligation to begin the regular season with a full 15-man roster, Powell believes he has shown coach Gregg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford enough to warrant consideration.

“I think as long as I continue to play with energy, defend, rebound, communicate on defense and do those things, it’s giving me a good shot,” Powell said. “I just try to focus on that and do what the Spurs do traditionally.”

D-League bound?: Rookie small forward Wesley Witherspoon remains on the Spurs’ camp roster for now but is expected to be waived and ticketed for the Development League, most likely the Austin Toros, before the start of the season.

It is the same fate probably awaiting another rookie forward, Alabama’s JaMychal Green, who the Spurs signed recently in hopes of bolstering their D-League affiliate.

Up to three players last cut by an NBA team prior to the D-League draft may be allocated to that club’s D-League affiliate.

This appears to be the route the Spurs prefer to take with Witherspoon and Green, neither of whom would count against the team’s 15-man NBA roster.

Missing Eddy: Many in the Spurs organization expect Curry, the veteran big man waived by the team Tuesday, will hook on with another NBA squad.

On Wednesday, Curry received one such endorsement from Tim Duncan.

“Eddy had a really good camp,” Duncan said. “I thought he did a really good job. He played well. It was just kind of situational that we couldn’t keep him.”

Siskell and Powell: Local movie theaters would enjoy a continued box-office boost if the Spurs wind up keeping Powell past this week.